Fitnesstriage system and method

Abstract

Fitness Triage® is a system and method for prioritizing delivery of personalized exercise and injury prevention information based on identification and analysis of user-specific health and fitness indicators. By providing answers to questions concerning key health risk factors, conditions, and habits, exercise information is delivered to the user based on the level of potential risk and other considerations associated with his/her participation in an exercise program. Based on the Fitness Triage® analysis of user data, the delivery of information is identified and prioritized according to one of three levels of potential risk. The user is thus informed of the level of risk associated with his/her participation in exercise, and the recommended precautions based on his/her individual health profile. The Fitness Triage® system is accessed by the user directly through the Internet or licensed Intranet, or through the guidance of an intake coordinator, personal trainer, or other qualified health/fitness professional.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A data processing apparatus for delivering user-specific exercise and injury prevention information comprising: a central controller including a CPU and a memory operatively connected to said CPU;   at least one terminal, adapted for communicating with said central controller for transmitting to said central controller, user-specific information selected from the group consisting of said user's prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits;   said memory and said central controller containing a program, adapted to be executed by said CPU, for separately and collectively evaluating the risk associated with said user-specific information to determine whether said user may begin a fitness program;   wherein said central controller receives said information from said terminal and outputs a statement as to whether said user may begin a fitness program, and whether said user should obtain medical clearance before beginning such a program.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said memory and said central controller and said program enable a user who may begin a fitness program to access fitness information suitable for said user based on a keyword search, topic search and alphabetic search, or combination thereof, of information related to fitness and health questions and appropriate answers, and a glossary of fitness and health terms and their definitions. 
     
     
       3. A method of determining whether a user can begin a fitness program, and, if so, for determining an appropriate fitness program for said user using a central controller including a CPU and a memory operatively connected to said CPU and containing a program adapted to be executed by said CPU for determining whether said user may proceed with a fitness program, and, if so, for determining an appropriate fitness program for said user, the method comprising the steps of: inputting user specific information about said user's prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits; individually evaluating each of said health, medical and fitness conditions and habits for risk level; collectively evaluating said individual risk factors to determine whether said user may proceed with a fitness program, and, if said user can proceed, outputting a suitable fitness program for said user.   
     
     
       4. A data processing apparatus for determining whether a user may proceed with a fitness program, and, if so, for determining an appropriate fitness program for said user comprising: a CPU and a memory operatively connected to said CPU, said memory containing a program adapted to be executed by said CPU, said CPU and memory cooperatively adapted to receive user-specific inputs concerning said user's prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits, and to determine, from said user-specific inputs, the risk associated with each of said inputs, and the collective risk to said user from the risks associated with each of said inputs to determine whether said user may proceed with a fitness program, or whether said user should seek medical advice before beginning such a fitness program. 
     
     
       5. A method of determining whether a user may begin a fitness program, or whether said user should first obtain medical advice before beginning such a program using a central controller including a CPU and a memory operatively connected to said CPU and containing a program adapted to be executed by said CPU for said determining steps, the method comprising the steps of: inputting user-specific prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits;   determining whether any of said conditions and habits are chronic or acute;   individually evaluating the risk associated with each of said inputs;   collectively evaluating the resulting individual risks;   determining whether said user may begin a fitness program, and, if so, with what limitations, or determining whether said user should obtain medical clearance before beginning a fitness program;   devising a fitness program appropriate for said user by having the CPU execute said program and outputting said appropriate fitness program.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 further comprising opening to said user access to databases including information appropriate for a fitness program for said user. 
     
     
       7. A method for determining whether a user may begin a fitness program comprising the steps of: receiving user-specific inputs concerning said user's prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits relative to an appropriate fitness program for said user;   evaluating the risk associated with each of said inputs, and for evaluating these individual risks collectively; and   outputting whether said user may proceed with a fitness program or should first obtain medical clearance before proceeding with a fitness program.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of outputting an appropriate fitness program for said user, if appropriate. 
     
     
       9. A data processing apparatus for determining whether a user can undertake a fitness program for said user comprising: a terminal adapted to communicate with a central controller that determines and evaluates, collectively, the individual risks associated with each user-specific input about said user's prior and current health, medical and fitness conditions and habits and outputs the resulting information;   said terminal being adapted to transmit to said central controller said information and further adapted to receive from the central controller a decision as to whether said user may proceed with a fitness program or whether said user should first obtain medical advice before beginning a fitness program.